The perfect raspberry filled cupcakes are a delightful treat that combines a moist cake base with a burst of sweet and tangy raspberry filling, topped with a luscious frosting. This recipe is perfect for birthdays, special occasions, or just when you need a little homemade happiness.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Raspberry Filled Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries, lightly mashed
For the Raspberry Filling:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: a few drops of red food coloring for a pink hue
How to Make Perfect Raspberry Filled Cupcakes
Whip up these perfect raspberry filled cupcakes in under an hour, promising a delightful dessert experience. This recipe is designed for simplicity, ensuring a moist cake and a vibrant raspberry center that’s both delicious and satisfying. The creamy frosting adds the perfect finishing touch to these delightful treats, making them a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. You’ll be enjoying these little gems in approximately 45 minutes from start to finish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. This ensures easy removal of the cupcakes and a neat presentation.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. This creates the base of your cupcake batter, ensuring even distribution of leavening agents.
- Add Wet Ingredients (Part 1): Add the softened unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer on low speed, blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This step helps to incorporate the butter evenly into the dry ingredients.
- Add Wet Ingredients (Part 2): In a separate small bowl, whisk together the large eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Gradually add this wet mixture to the dry ingredient mixture. Beat on medium speed until just combined and smooth, being careful not to overmix, which can result in tough cupcakes.
- Incorporate Raspberry Swirl: Gently fold in the lightly mashed ½ cup of raspberries into the batter. This will create a beautiful swirl effect and infuse the cupcakes with a subtle raspberry flavor throughout.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each about two-thirds full. This allows room for the cupcakes to rise while baking.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven.
- Cool the Cupcakes: Once baked, let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s crucial that the cupcakes are entirely cool before you proceed to the filling step to prevent the filling from melting.
- Prepare the Raspberry Filling: While the cupcakes cool, make the raspberry filling. In a small saucepan, combine the 1 cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries break down and the mixture thickens into a jam-like consistency. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Fill the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife or a piping bag with a round tip to create a small well in the center of each cupcake. Be careful not to go all the way to the bottom. Spoon or pipe about 1-2 teaspoons of the cooled raspberry filling into each well.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk or heavy cream, beating until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. If desired, add a few drops of red food coloring to achieve a lovely pink hue.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Once filled, generously frost the top of each cupcake with the prepared buttercream frosting. You can use a spatula for a rustic look or a piping bag with a decorative tip for a more polished presentation.
- Serve and Enjoy: Your perfect raspberry filled cupcakes are now ready to be enjoyed!
Why You’ll Love This Perfect Raspberry Filled Cupcakes
You’ll absolutely adore these perfect raspberry filled cupcakes for their irresistible combination of tender cake, a sweet-tart raspberry surprise at its heart, and a cloud of creamy frosting. Unlike a simple frosted cupcake, the hidden burst of berry makes every bite an adventure, offering a delightful flavor contrast that’s both playful and sophisticated. Plus, making these at home is a fraction of the cost of buying similar gourmet treats from a bakery, allowing you to indulge more often without breaking the bank.
The vibrant, natural sweetness of the raspberries, enhanced by a touch of lemon, cuts beautifully through the richness of the vanilla cake and the creamy frosting. This recipe is wonderfully forgiving, making it an excellent choice for beginner bakers looking to impress. Why not transform your next afternoon tea or family gathering with these delightful creations? Go ahead and try them – they’re sure to become a new favorite!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Storing Perfect Raspberry Filled Cupcakes:
- Refrigeration: Store unfrosted or frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. This is especially important if your frosting contains dairy or cream cheese.
- Room Temperature (Unfrosted): Unfrosted cupcakes without the filling can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Room Temperature (Filled and Frosted): If you’ve already filled and frosted your cupcakes, it’s best to refrigerate them due to the raspberry filling and frosting.
Reheating Perfect Raspberry Filled Cupcakes:
- Generally, these cupcakes are best served at room temperature or slightly chilled from the refrigerator.
- If you prefer them slightly warmer, you can gently warm individual cupcakes in a microwave on low power for about 10-15 seconds, but be very careful not to overheat, as this can melt the frosting and make the cake gummy.
- Allow refrigerated cupcakes to sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving for optimal texture and flavor.
Freezing Perfect Raspberry Filled Cupcakes:
- Unfrosted Cupcakes: Wrap unfrosted, completely cooled cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- Frosted Cupcakes: Freezing frosted cupcakes can be tricky as the frosting may smudge. If you choose to freeze them, consider flash-freezing them on a baking sheet until the frosting is firm, then wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe container.
- To Thaw: Thaw unfrosted cupcakes on a wire rack at room temperature. For frosted cupcakes, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Final Thoughts
These perfect raspberry filled cupcakes are the ultimate expression of homemade joy, offering a burst of fruity delight in every bite. Invite your friends and family to share in this delicious creation, and you’ll discover just how easy it is to bring a smile to everyone’s face with a little baking magic.
Perfect Raspberry Filled Cupcakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add the softened unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer on low speed, blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the large eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Gradually add this wet mixture to the dry ingredient mixture. Beat on medium speed until just combined and smooth, being careful not to overmix.2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gently fold in the lightly mashed ½ cup of raspberries into the batter.1/2 cup raspberries
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Once baked, let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes cool, make the raspberry filling. In a small saucepan, combine the 1 cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries break down and the mixture thickens into a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.1 cup raspberries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife or a piping bag with a round tip to create a small well in the center of each cupcake. Spoon or pipe about 1-2 teaspoons of the cooled raspberry filling into each well.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk or heavy cream, beating until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. If desired, add a few drops of red food coloring to achieve a lovely pink hue.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted, 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, a few drops red food coloring
- Once filled, generously frost the top of each cupcake with the prepared buttercream frosting.
- Your perfect raspberry filled cupcakes are now ready to be enjoyed!